Press



G. E. WHITNEY.

PRESS.

APPLlcATloN FILED JAN. 1s. 1919,

1,394,458. Patented 00u18, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

[aven/iov.-

Geow' eE'. miti/eey,

G. E. WHITNEY. PRESS.4 APPLICATION FILED I-AN.16, 1919,

1,394,458. Patented Oct. 18, 1921.

2 SHEETVS-SHEE'I 2.

Inventor.' Eeoif'ge'. Pmney,

tiys.

UNTTED STATES GEORGE E. WHITNEY, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

PRESS.

specification of Letters Patent. y Patented Oct. 18, 1921.

Application filed January 16, 1919. Serial No. 271,384.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE E. VHITNET, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Bridgeport, county of Fairiield, and State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement in Presses, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a speciiication, like characters on the drawings representing lik Darts. l l This invention relates to presses, and more particularly to presses intended for reducing compressible material to a highly compressed state. y

The invention will be best understood by lreferenceto the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying illustration of one specific embodiment thereof, while its scope will be more particularly pointedv out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section showing the materials-receiving end of a press to which one form of the invention is applied;

Fig. 2 is a similar cross-sectional elevation of the opposite or discharge end of the press;

Fig.k 3 is across-sectional elevation taken on the line 3 3 in'Fig. 2 looking in thedirection of the arrow;

Fig. 41: is a similar cross-sectional elevation taken on the line 4 4 in Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow; and

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional elevation taken through the journal of the pusher arm showing the steam heating connections therefor.

For the purposes of illustration I have 'shown one embodiment of the invention in a simple, wellkncwn type of press, theA general arrangement of which is indicated more or less conventionally, but which is suflicient to illustrate 'the use and adaptation of my invention. The specific form 'of press is shown forillustrative purposesy only, my inventionV not being limited in its application to any particular type of press or to any particular kind of' material to be compressed. The press may be either a baling press where the compressed material is bound into bales 'while passing through the same, or the material maybe compressed and subdivided after leaving the press, or the press may be utilized to recompress previously baled material.v

In ,the illustrated form of press, the materials to be compressed are entered by batches or charges into a materials-receiving chamber 10 through any suitable opening, such as the entrance opening 11 which is surmountedy by the hopper 12. In the receiving chamber the materials are acted upon by a suitable compressing element which is typified by the reciprocating compressing plunger 13. Reciprocatory ymovement is imparted to the latter by'any suitable means, as by the connecting rod 14C and crank 15, the latter rotated by the crank shaft 16 from any suitable source of power, so that the materials are forced into a compression space or chamber 17. This is herein in the form of a box-like inclosure having a rectangular cross section serving as a prolongation of the receiving chamber 10 and has a discharge end 18 through which the compressed material advances step by step with each recriprocation of the compressing plunger.

The compression of the material is effected by the plunger 1 3 against the resistance offered to the passage ofthe alreadycompressed material in contact with` retarding walls or' surfaces, the density of compression depending upon the amount of friction to be overcome by the plunger in moving the material along a discharge passage or.

runway. f

To provide the desiredfrictional resistance to the compressed material, the discharge passage is extended beyond the discharge end 18 of the compression chamber in the form of a discharge runway comprising the upper' and lower plates 2O and 21 respectively, together with the side walls presented by the angle irons 22 and 23 respectively, secured 'to the upper and lower plates. `These angle irons present side walls whichguide the compressed material and confine it laterally- In the illustrated form of the invention the lower plate21` of the runway with `its side plates 23 is fixed immovably upon the transverse pieces 30 forming a part of the bed 31 of the machine, but the upper plate 2O with its side plates 22 is-so supported upon the stationary bed as to be' susceptible of movement.

To support Lthe upper plate longitudinal I-beams 32 (herein three in number) are provided extending directly over the plate. At one end the I-.beams rest upon uprightsupports 33 mounted on the frame of the compression chamber, andiat the opposite end 1 are secured to a cross-beam 34. Cross pieces 35 are provided at intervals resting upon the I-beams and secured to the stationary frame by means of tie rods 36, the lower ends of which are fastened to the underlying transverse bed pieces 30.

At separated points on the I-beams there are provided cross bars 37 with depending hangers 38 to which are jointed links 39, the lower ends of the links being jointed to members 40 secured to similar cross pieces 41 which arel mounted on I-beams 42 extending longitudinally and secured to the top of the friction-producing or frictional retarding plate 20. p

Herein there are threesets of Lbeams 32 and 42 and three sets of hangers at each supported point of the retarding plate, but any suitable number lmay be used and any desired number of'y such sets ymay be employed, depending on the length ofthe retarding plate and other conditions of mechanical detail. v

j The end kof the retarding'plate 20 nearer f the compressing chamber is prevented from movingbeyond a certainV limit in the direction'VV of the hopper by "an angle iron 43. Under'certain conditions, however, 1t may `move longitudinally with the compressed material, or inthedirection indicated byV the arrow in Fig. 2, the links swinging about theirplvotalfsupports to permit such movement. Such movement, however, is under suitable` control, and herein under the control of yielding means 4which normally resist such movement but yield and permit itwhen rthe frictlonal contact of the oompressed material with the upper plate 2Ol and Aside walls 22exceeds a predetermined dearm 50, the end of which has-'an adjustable set'screw 5l engaging a capor abutment `52 resting upon the top of a compression spring 53, the lower end of which rests upon an abutment 54 carried by the underlying I-'beam 42. Anymovement 'of `the plate in the direction of thearrow (Fig. 2) tends to swing the links 39 and depress the arms 50 acting to compress the springs 53.

Since a substantial amount of thefriction in the discharge passage, and herein substan tially half, is produced by Contact between the compressed material and the movable plate or retarding wall, the forces vtending to y move the plate longitudinally will depend on the frictionalresistance inthe runway and will substantially'measure 4the l force underA which 'compressionfis effected inthe compression chamber. By suitably adjusting the springs, therefore,- Vthiswmovement may be permitted'to take place' when acertain fricplunger.

`way as a whole tional resistance or a certain compression resistance is attained. The aggregate force exerted by all the springs may thus be sufficient to balance one-half or any other desired part of the compression effort of the The initial compression of the springs may be adjusted by adjusting the set screws 5l and the press may thereby be set to any desired pressure or degree of compression, and this pressure may be changed -from time to time as required.

ln the illustrated form of the invention the links are so arranged that the longitudinal movement of the plate with the material also lifts the end of the plate adjacent the discharge end of the runway, thereby tilting it upward and expanding or enlarging the discharge passage vby an` increasing amount toward the discharge end. For this purpose the links are connected to the upper and lower ,I-beams respectively-at points which slightly offset theA upper and lower connections respectively as the discharge end is approached, and give an increasing angular inclination to the linkstoward the discharge end, so that the longitudinal movement of the plate 20 in the direction'of the arrow effects also a lifting movementof the plate near its discharge end.V This `lifting movement, as well as theilongitudinal Inovement may be madeV of any desired extent by suitably proportioning the parts, but isV prefverably, though not necessarily, considerably less than the longitudinal movement, so thatV the enlargement of the discharge opening and.' the relief afforded the material is very gradual as the plate first starts to move. Preferably also',v though not necessarily, the links are given such arelation that this'liftingfmovement is at a maximum at the discharge end ofthe runway, and no appreciable lifting movement takes place at theop-V posite end thereof.

Figs. 1 and 2 `show the plate 2O andits .connections in the `position whichthey normally occupy after the press has been'started into operation and as the compressed material is'passing through the runway under the designed frictional retardation and-producing the desired compression resistance at the compression chamber. fthe conditions become altered'` at any timefby an increaseV in the friction and any tendency to stoppage or obstructi-omthereby increasingthe compression resistance at the compression Vchamber, the springs 53 yieldwhenthisdctinite pressure is exceeded land the :upper portion of 4.the runway, including the top plate 2O and the sideplates 22,'yield and move longitudinally in the vdirection of'travel of the material', while the upper portionA ofthe run startsto tip slightly at its outer end.- l f Conversely, ifY the frictional resistance Vdrops'below the'required point, lthe plate 20 under the action of the springs 53, tends to frictional resistance. Under some circummove in a direction opposite to the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2, tilting or tipping down the discharge end of the plate and contracting the discharge passage, the point of greatest contraction being near the discharge end thereof. This increases the frictional resistance and again builds up the compression to the required amount, whereupon the plate will again move to or toward its mid position, the springs yielding to permit such movement when the desired frictional resistance is attained.

This automatic governing action of the discharge runway may also be utilized to start the press into operation and oppose a frictional resistance to the passage of the compressed material until the required presr positions to which the end of the movable plate may move in its automatic governing action on the frictional resistance, I have shown two such positions by dotted lines at m and jz/ respectively, and have indicated by the tapered dotted lines, the corresponding' positions assumed by the lower surface of the retarding plate. It will be understood, however, that the lift and depression of the plate are shown by these dotted lines on ay somewhat exaggerated scale.

With the press empty, the material is entered into the receiving chamber 10 and moved into the compression chamber 17 by the successive movements of the plunger 13. As the material thus passes into the discharge passage, its frictional resistance gradually builds up a compression resistance in the compression chamber and, in turn, in-

creases the frictional resistance in the runway. When the material ap roaches the contracted end of the runway, t iis resistance increases and the further passage of thematerial is prevented until the compression resistance has been built up to a point sufficient to move the plate `to a substantially horizontal position, shown in full lines. In this position it acts as an automatic governor regulating the frictional retardation of the compressed material, tending to expandor contract the end of the discharge runway and relieve or increase the frictional resistance, according as the resistance in the compression chamber rises above or drops below the predetermined amount.

Under ordinary conditions only a relatively slight longitudinal movement and a relatively slight lifting movement of the retarding plate is needed to regulate the stances, however, a more pronounced or abnormal taper may be desirable. Thus in starting up the press or in using some material having an unusually low friction, or of such a nature as to produce a low frictional resistance, a greater depression of the plate may be required than is provided by the links 39. For this purpose I have provided means whereby the entire supporting frame which carries the links may be adjustably depressed (or raised if required) more or less near the discharge end of the press, thus giving the runway an extreme taper as compared with the normal working taper. To this end, the I-beams 32 are fulcrumed at 60 near the hopper end of the press where they are secured to the support 33. At the opposite end they are made vertically adjustable by the vertical adjustment of the crossbar 34. The latter is clamped to the upright rods 61 and by adjusting the clamping nuts 62 and 63 the supporting frame at the discharge end of the press may be lowered (or raised) .more or less, the intermediate tie rods being correspondingly adjusted. By this means the runway may be given an initial abnormal taper which,'however, is subjected to automatic variation within the limits permitted by the action of the links.

Any'suitable means may be employed in the compression chamber for holding the material entered therein by the plunger,

`such as the spring-presssed dogs 65 similar to the dogs shown in my prior Patent No.

Where compressible material is handled which becomes sticky when compressed, it may be desirable to heat the surfaces along which the material passes, thereby to soften the surface of the body of material and .prevent its sticking, and for this purpose I have shown the compression chamber for a suitable portion of its length surrounded by a steam jacket connected with suitable admission and exit steam-pipe connections 71 and 72 respectively. As the compression lplunger 13 retracts, a pusher 7 5 is caused to enter into the hopper and depress the next batch of material into the receiving chamber in` front of the plunger preparatory to its being advanced intothe compression chamber on the next stroke of the plunger. The pusher is carried by two arms 80 (Figs. 1 and 5) projecting from an oscillating frame mounted to oscillate in the upright frame members 81, each arm having a depending projection 82 which is connected by a link S3 with the plunger 13.k The connections are such that as the plunger retractsl the pusher executes a movement down into and through the hopper, and as the plunger advances the pusher retracts from the receiving chamber and the hopper.

Herein I have also shown means for heating the pusher so that where the material is of a nature that it Vmight soften under heat as the pusher crowds the material-down into the receiving chamber, it not only assists in lsoftening the material, but any tendency of the material to stick to the pusher is prevented. Preferably means are -provided such that any desired temperature may be maintained, as, for example, the necessary temperature to prevent the sticking of the material which is being fed to the receiving chamber.

Herein, as illustrative of such means, I have shown a "steam pipe connection '84 controlled by a suitable valve 85 and connecting through one of the hollow trunnions of the oscillating frame, with passages 86 eX- tending up through one of the arms 80 and entering the hollow pusher head 75. Circulation of the steam through the pusher head is maintained by the exit passage 87 eX- tending through the remaining arm 80 and connected in asimilar manner to the pipe 88.'-

Claims.

l. In a press, the combination with a reciprocating plunger acting in a suitablecompressing chamber, of a discharge passage providing frictional resistance for the compressed material passing from the compression chamber, means for regulating the fric tional resistance, comprising a frictional retarding plate constituting a wall for said discharge passage, means comprising a series of links for holding said wall to permit 2. In a press, the combination with compressingr means, of a compression chamber, la materialsreceiving chamber, a pusher lor entering the lmaterial into the receiving chamber, and means torheating the pusher.

3. In a press, the combination with a comgiven lcompression resistance isA reached.

`compressing chamber, a discharge passage providing rictional resistance for thepcompressedmaterial passing from the compress- .ing chamber, means for regulating the frictional resistance, comprising a Jrictional retarding plate constituting a wall for said discharge passage,"means comprising a series of links for holding said wall to permit the latter to move longitudinally in the direction'ot travel of the compressed material, and yielding pressureLdetermining means adapted to oppose `the-movement of said wall and yieldable only when a given compression resistance is reached.

6. A press comprising, in combination, a reciprocatingplunger acting in a-suitable compressing chamber, a discharge passage providing rictional resistance for the compressed material passing lrom the compressingY chamber, means forv regulating the frictional resistance, .comprising a frictional retarding plate constituting a wall for said discharge passage, means including` a series oi' `bell cranks for holding. said wall to permit the latter to move longitudinally Ain the direction of travel of the'compressed material. said bell cranks eachV pivotally connected at theend of one arm to said wall, and each connected to said wall by yielding compression meansat the end of the other arm, said bell cranks intermediately fulcrumed to an abutment, and said retarding plate and bell cranks organized and operating to permit longitudinal movement of said plate when -a predetermined compression resistance is reached and providing forenlargement of said discharge passage, dependent upon the extent of. longitudinal movement of said plate.

In testimony whereof, VI have signed my name to this specification.

GEORGE E. IHITNEY. 

